Ploughing competition heats up on the fields of Heathrow
The annual ploughing match took place on September 28, 1937
OUR new feature showing historic photographs of the area, taken from the huge collection of pictures in the Trinity Mirror group archive in Watford, is proving popular with a lot of readers.
Several have commented how much they are enjoying seeing images of parts of Hillingdon as they looked in the early years of the last century.
We will continue to bring you photos from the archive – a new gallery of images will appear on the website each week – go to www.getwestlondon. co.uk/all-about/nostalgia.
But as a result of us starting the series, local historian Philip Sherwood, from West Drayton, was moved to send us this picture of a ploughing match taking place at Heathrow shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War.
Philip writes: “You may like to add the attached photo to your collection.
“It shows the annual ploughing match organised by the Middlesex Agricultural and Grower’s Association held at Heathrow on September 28, 1937.
“It was the 99th such competition and the last to be held. The 100th match, scheduled for 1938, was postponed because of a prolonged drought, and the outbreak of war a year later meant that it had to be postponed again. The construction of the airport meant that these matches were never resumed.
“The plough teams in this photo are working in the area now occupied by the northern runway and the houses in the background, on the Bath Road, are still there.”
Thanks a lot for this Philip – and for your kind comments.
Have you got old pictures of the area you would like to share? Email high resolution jpeg copies to mort.smith@ trinitymirror.co.uk. It was the 99th such competition and the last to be held. The 100th was postponed due to a prolonged drought”